Incumbent Sen. Ed Markey has won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts, the Associated Press called, fending off a challenge from Rep. Seth Moulton. The victory is another success for the progressive wing of the party and a setback for advocates of generational change in Democratic leadership.
Markey, who turned 80 in July, argued throughout the campaign that experience and a long record of progressive advocacy mattered more than age. First elected to Congress in 1976, he emphasized his policy commitments — including support for Medicare for All, opposition to President Trump’s defense budget plans, and backing tax increases on the wealthy — as reasons voters should keep him in the Senate.
Moulton, who entered elected office in 2014, ran as a younger alternative and repeatedly urged a new generation of leadership in Washington. Polls in recent weeks showed Markey with a clear lead and suggested many Democratic primary voters felt a stronger connection to his progressive agenda than they were persuaded by concerns about his age.
Markey had high-profile endorsements from Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, among others.
The primary campaign included heated exchanges over social issues. In an August debate Markey accused Moulton of failing to stand up for transgender rights, pointing to a 2024 comment by Moulton about concerns over girls’ sports that drew criticism. Moulton apologized during the campaign for comments that hurt people and reiterated his support for LGBTQ rights.
This is the second time Markey has prevailed against a younger challenger in a high-profile primary; he defeated Rep. Joe Kennedy III in 2020 under similar themes of progressivism versus a call for new leadership.
With the Democratic nomination secured, Markey will face Republican attorney John Deaton in the November general election. Massachusetts is a deep-blue state, and political ratings currently list the Senate contest as heavily favored for the Democrat, making Markey the likely favorite to retain the seat in November.